The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-09-21
ON THE PAMPAS.
FEATURES OF LIFE IN THE
ARGENTINE REPUBLIC.
No Middle Class-The National Bev
erage-Gauchos- of Fleet
Ostriches-Fertile Plains
Animal Discomforts.

There is no "middle class" in the
Argentine republic, writes correspond
ent of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Society is composed of those wealthy
enough to refrain from manual labor and
working people. Wages as rule arc
low, and the cost of living as high as in
the United States and not half as good.
In the "camps" poems engaged in herd
ing are paid from 50 to S12 per month
and supplied with meat and matte.
Should they wish to vary this diet it must
be done at their own expense. Few care
to do 80. Matte is a peculiar herb grown
in Paraguay, and is the national beverage
of the country. 1t is dried, powdered
and stepped in hot water and used as a
tea. 1t possesses considerable stimulating
powers, and enormous quantities arc con-
sumcd. All classes use it. A gourd IS
followed and filled with matte, tube to
suck through inserted and the contents
absorbed. 1t is considered a serious
breach of etiquette to refuse the matte
cup when it is passed around. The same
tube passes from mouth to mouth
Skilled labor does not command high
wages. Locomotive drivers receive from
SOS to $75 month; guards or conduct.
ors, $45; good mechanics average S2.5o
day. When the value of Argentine
money is rcckoncd, these are low wages:
A constant speculation in gold is carried
on, and the value of national money con-
stantly fuctuates.
Certain professions are well paid. Den
lists, photographers, civil engineers and
school teachers find occupation and make
money. A laboring man entering the re-
public finds himself thrown into compe-
tition with the hungry hordcs of the
Old World, and must accustom himself
to strict economy and hard living to get
along. The Italians employed on the
streets or in the public wo.ks are paid
$l.25 day. This is the rate for ordi,
nary labor. Stevedores and men around
the docks not steadily employed, 1.5o
and board; clerks, from $50 to $40 per
month. A knowledge of Spanish is ab-
solutely required of the latter.
The country maintains standing army
of 1s, 900 men and has a good navy, COM
prisiug several powerful armored ships.
Military distinction is eagerly sought and
the sons of rich families enter the SER
vice. 1t is not unusual to see boys OF IA
and Is years wearing officers uniforms.
English, Germans and French are found
among the officers. The total popula-
ton OF the country is estimated alto, OOo,-
600.
House rent is excessively high and city
property held at exorbitant figures. The
same may he said of outlying lands. Com
pared with prices few years ago, their
valuation is excessive, and crash is in
evitable. Camp lands for grazing pur-
poses in remote districts seEfrom $lO,-
600 to sis, per square league. The
country is generally leve! from the coast
line back to the Andes. The average rise
in altitude is four inches to the mile.
This is the region of pampas, vast tree
less laiirnc, covered with grasses and COM
prising rich soIis. :. :.
Twenty two foreign steamship lines
touch at Buenos Ayres, and thousands
of immigrants are landed yearly. Fast
and wcll-equipped river-boats navigate
the Uruguay, Parany and Platte rivers.
At Sante Fe 1 met two English gentle
men who wished to make the trip.
Securing horses and guide, start was
made the second morning, and in few
hours we were away from civilization,
and crossing the vast plains.
1 can liken the pampas to nothing ex-
cent O. smooth ocean; their vaStness,
monotony and utter Loneliness is oppres-
sive, and the traveller gazes yearningly
for some object to rest the eye. Over
head blue, cloudlcss sky shone, the air
was intensely hot, and the only noise
made was that of the horses amid the
tall grass.
Two or three times during the day iso-
lated mud huts were sighted, and at one
of these we procured water and camped
for the night. These are headquarters
for the cattle hcrdcrs - wild-looking
gauchos of mixed blood and truculent
visage. These dwellcrs of the pampas
are almost constantly in the saddle. They
wear the universal poncho-a square, col
ored blanket, slit in the middle to ad-
nit the head-and armed with lassoes
and long knives. An ignorant, wild,
savage race, with no great love for for
eigners. they still retain considerable re-
spcct for the ''Gringo" six-shooter and
rarely molest travellers unless excited by
drink.
The second day an early start was
made, bands of ostriches were sighted,
but at such distance shot could not
be obtained. The South American bird
is not so large as his African cousin, but
good sized, and possesses tremendous
powers of locomotion. They move with
the rapidity of express trains when fright
ened, their long legs making enormous
strides, with curious side motion. We
saw many iguanas-great lizards-some
of them four feet in length, and many
armadillos, both esteemed delicious eating
by the natives.
Occasionally during our trip small iso-
lated groves were passed. The trees are
small, and can sometimes be seen twenty
miles away inverted in the air, the heat
and rarifed atmosphere causing mirages.
Scorpions and ccntipcdcs abound, but
arc not particularly troublesome. Poison
Gus reptiles arc few, but mosquitoes and
black gnats make up in discomfort what
the traveller misses in this respect.
The fifth day after leaving Santa Fe
we saw from our camp the sun setting
behind the Cordoba Sierras. broken,
isolated mountain chain some hundreds
of miles in lengh, and with attitudes
ranging from 1 1000 to 5000 feet. These
mountains, magnified in an exquisitely